Train Rides
by Raven29
Summary: Train rides with Harry are always interesting...H/Hr -- major fluff! r/r *kissy kissy*


Train Rides 

Author's Note: Ok, I took a little break from ff.net cause of this evil scandal I was involved in (pretty good for a 14 year old…just think what'll happen when I'm 15!!) but now I'm back *ignoring the screams of terror* So whatever, Harry Potter does not belong to me, you people should know that by now. Any similarities to anything else is not intended so don't go off about it to me, cause I don't care! I'm telling you now that I'm not copying, people do tend to think alike sometimes…we are all mostly human…*glares at the evil space monkey beside her* Anywho! This is just a lovely bit of fluff for you guys to read! Woohoo! H/Hr all the way!

          It was starting to get cooler; summer was waning and autumn was on the way. A cool breeze shifted through the train station. Hermione pulled her jacket tighter around her, and pushed her cart a little faster. Crookshanks, her cat, looked up at her, meowing sleepily; he had obviously just woke up. She smiled down at him and scratched his ear for him while continuing to steer her cart with her other hand. The barrier between platforms 9 and 10 could barely be seen in her line of vision. _Almost there,_ she thought. The thought of a warm train compartment drove her to speed her pace up yet again. It was to be her 7th and final year at Hogwarts, it excited her and saddened her at the same time. Hogwarts had been her second home for the past six years of her life, the day she received her letter of acceptance was the day her life changed. Suddenly she wasn't just that bushy haired girl with big teeth, she was a witch, a being of powers. And upon her arrival at Hogwarts, she had met Harry Potter. _The_ Harry Potter. She had become his best friend, or at least one of them. His other best friend, and hers, was Ronald Weasley. The three of them were famous, Harry because he was Harry, and she and Ron, because they were friends of Harry. But she earned her own with her good grades, she was by far the best student Hogwarts had ever seen. Ron managed to snag his lot of good deeds. They both always lent a hand in Harry's adventuring, it was inevitable when you were his best friend. She remembered that day she had met Harry, she had come in looking for another boy's toad. _The train ride that changed my life,_ she thought with a smile. She finally arrived at the barrier, and casually pushed through it when nobody was watching. She wheeled around and found herself on Platform 9¾, the home of the Hogwarts express. She pushed her cart to the front of the train and dragged it on into the Head Girl and Boy compartment. She of course had been named Head Girl; excellent student, brave, intelligent, the list of reasons why just went on and on. However, she still didn't know who the Head Boy was. 

          Hermione sighed and sat herself down on one of the benches. She took off her jacket and shook it lightly before draping it neatly on her trunk. The compartment door opened, and she turned to find…Harry. Of course, how could it not be, he was _the_ bravest boy at Hogwarts and a favorite of Professor Dumbledore. He grinned at her.

          "I knew you'd make Head Girl," Harry said proudly, dragging his trunk into the compartment. Hermione laughed.

          "I should've known they'd make you Head Boy," she said with a grin. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

          "Surprise!" he said, sitting in front of her. She laughed again, and kicked him lightly with her foot. He pretended to grovel in pain, clutching his leg. "So!" he said, snapping up from his prostate position. "How was your summer?"

          "Full of study," Hermione replied casually.

          "Study? For what?!"

          "N.E.W.T.S of course!" Harry groaned.

          "Its not like you actually need to study!" he said. "You're the smartest witch in all of Hogwarts history!"

          "Even the smartest witches and wizards need to study," she said matter-of-factly. Harry simply rolled his eyes, knowing this conversation was going nowhere. She sensed this too and changed the topic. "How about you? How's Sirius?" 

          "He's great, I'm so glad I'm not at the Dursleys anymore." Sirius had been cleared the year before after Harry had defeated Lord Voldemort (*gasp* I said his name!). Hermione smiled at him sympathetically. 

          "So…what do you plan to do after this year?" she asked.

          "I dunno, get married, have a couple kids," he said with a grin.

          "Harry! You're only seventeen!" Hermione cried.

          "Yeah, and so are you."

          "What does that have to do with anything?" 

          "It has a lot to do with everything," he said, smiling knowingly. Hermione stared at him with a confused expression on her face. She shook her head.

          "But seriously, what do you plan to do…you know, for a job?" she asked.

          "I was thinking about joining the ministry, maybe becoming an Auror or something," he said. "What about you?"

          "Same." The lights flickered, the train was now beginning its journey to Hogwarts. "Well, this is it, our final year at Hogwarts is beginning now," Hermione said sadly. "I'm going to miss this place so much."

          "Me too," Harry said softly.

          They talked lightly about other things for a while, simply enjoying each others company. Suddenly the lights went out and the train lurched to a halt, launching Hermione forward. Harry caught her in his arms, pulling her over to sit next to him. He stood, gripping his wand, he motioned for her to stay in the compartment, but she would have none of that. She grabbed her wand from her trunk and rose, standing behind him. Harry glared at her in the darkness, pulling her close in a protective embrace. He held her close with one arm, holding his wand up in defense. 

          "Lumos," he whispered. The end of his wand blazed with a beautiful golden light, casting its rays to the edges of the compartment. They inched forward to the door. Harry nudged it open with his foot and peered out. Other students were doing the same. Harry caught Ron's eye and nodded to him. Ron eyed the way Harry held Hermione, then turned around, and grabbed Lavender.

          "Don't worry Lav, I'll protect you," he said.

          "Oh my hero," she replied sarcastically, though she didn't move. The lights flickered back to life and the train moved forward again. The radio above crackled and someone began to speak: "Sorry about that, kids. Slight malfunction, but all's well now." Several students groaned and they all retreated to their compartments. Harry and Hermione sat down, his arm still around her. Hermione didn't mind, it was actually kind of nice.

          "That scared me, I thought it was…" He shook his head. Hermione shuddered. They sat in a tense silence.

          "What did you think about…you know, when you were fighting…him?" Hermione asked softly, drawing spirals on his knee as she rested her head on his shoulder. He said nothing. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that."

          "No, no, its alright," he said with a sigh. "You really want to know what I was thinking about?" he asked.

          "Only if you want to tell me."

          "I was thinking about you," he said. Hermione looked up at him startled.

          "Me?" she asked softly. He cupped her cheek with his free hand.

          "Yes, you, Hermione. You mean the world to me. Its taken me a while to see it, but you're the most important thing in my life. When I was fighting Voldemort," he shuddered slightly, "It all just started to make sense. Thinking of you gave me the strength to keep going when all would have been lost."

"But what about…" Hermione began, her voice trailing off.

"Cho was just a crush, Lavender…just a fling. But you…you've been there through it all, I was just too blind to see it. You're my perfect match. Where my thoughts end, yours begin; when I'm down, you're always there to bring me back up. You're always there for me, and I love you for it, and for so much more," he whispered. Tears were welled in her eyes; it was by far the most beautiful and compassionate thing anyone had ever said to her. She tried to speak as the tears ran down her cheeks, but the words wouldn't come to her. Harry leaned closer, kissing her tears away. He brushed his lips across her closed eyelids then across her cheeks once again, before descending to brush his lips lightly against hers. His kisses felt like fire on her skin, and as he pulled away she opened her eyes and pulled him back, connecting her lips with his. Her eyelashes tickled his cheek as her eyes closed, and she savored the feeling of kissing the 'boy who lived.' They came up for air, breathing shakily. She stroked his cheek with her fingers gazing at him lovingly. A few tears escaped her eyes again at her intense emotions. She had waited for love for so long, and so had he, now they had found it in each other. He leaned close again, and she whispered: "I love you, Harry" before his lips met hers. Her arms encircled him, drawing him as close as physically possible. Her hands tangled themselves in his hair, fingers entwining with the unruly strands. They drew back once more, to gage each other's reactions. They both looked somewhat relieved as the strain of holding in their emotions had finally been lifted. A smile graced Hermione's lips. Harry couldn't help but smile back. They sat in each other's embrace until the train finally came to a stop in front of Hogwarts. They exited the train hand in hand, unable and unwilling to stray too far from each other's side. Ron smirked at them, holding Lavender's hand.

          "That was an interesting train ride, eh?" he asked.

          "Train rides with Harry always are," Hermione said with a smile before heading off towards the horseless carriages to officially begin her last year of Hogwarts training. They clambered into the Head Boy and Girl carriage, sitting close together.

          "Life's a train ride," Harry said, "and I want to have you by my side through the whole thing." His face was solemn, he was serious about this.

          "I wouldn't have it any other way," Hermione replied, pulling his lips down to hers. They needed no ring or sign, their bond was deeper, spiritual, their souls were like part of a child's favorite puzzle, they were simply two pieces that had been connected once again. They had found each other through it all. Hermione knew if she got nothing else from Hogwarts besides a bad headache, she would come away with something more, something more precious than any strand of knowledge, and she was grateful for it, so very grateful for it.

Author's Ending Note: So…what did you think? Kinda rushed at the end maybe…but I thought it was pretty good! I finally got my puzzle idea to come out right, I was going to end it with a little more about train rides or something…but…the ideas weren't popping into my head. And Harry's last line about train rides…I know no sane boy would probably ever say that…but this is Harry Potter, the boy who lives…and I am a hopeless romantic J Anyways, please review, it means a lot to me. I think this may be my best piece yet!! Write me if you want more fluff.


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